FAQ: Why did the Worldwide Church of God break up? What does this mean prophetically?

The WCG splintered into many different church groups because of apostasy. With the introduction of many false doctrines in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the administration of the church turned the WCG into an evangelical Protestant denomination. Members who retained their beliefs from what they learned under Herbert W. Armstrong left family by family throughout those years.

However, because the members left WCG at different times and for different reasons, they did not form just one new corporate group but many. Some saw certain doctrines as paramount and made them their main focus. Others considered church government to be key and concentrated on it. Yet others sought to "revive the work of God" and set out on that task, and so on. What has emerged is a plethora of groups, each with its unique approach, though agreeing on most, if not all, of the major doctrines.

We believe that this has happened as a result of sin. Scattering, as Leviticus 26:33 and Deuteronomy 28:64 show, happens when God's people fail to keep His commandments. Daniel writes that "the power of the holy people [will be] completely shattered" prior to the end (Daniel 12:7). Of course, a similar process took place within the first-century church. In fact, Paul prophesies of a falling away from the truth to occur before the revealing of the man of sin (II Thessalonians 2:3).

When such a curse happens, the best course for God's people is wholehearted and sincere repentance (see II Chronicles 7:13-14; Daniel 9:1-19). As individuals, we must strive to "heal the breach" by repenting of our sins so that nothing that caused this separation remains to hinder our reunion with our brethren. Perhaps God will gather His church into one in the Place of Safety or even before. However, there is no biblical proof that God will reunite the church into one body before the end of this age.